Ornithine supplements are sometimes used to help people recover from serious physical traumas, including injuries or illnesses such as cirrhosis of the liver. Some people also take ornithine to enhance physical performance and strength. Before taking ornithine supplements, first consult your physician to discuss proper dosage and potential health risks.
Description
Ornithine is an amino acid that your body makes when it processes arginine during urea production. Meat, fish, eggs and dairy products also contain ornithine, along with other amino acids. Because your body makes ornithine, you usually don't need to get this amino acid through supplements or even foods, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Benefits
After your body has undergone an episode of serious stress due to a physical trauma, severe illness, malnutrition or even a pregnancy, your body may not make enough ornithine. You may then need to generate it from an outside source, such as a supplement. Some people take ornithine as a sports supplement, particularly for bodybuilding, but no medical evidence supports this use.
Dosage
The typical dosage of ornithine supplements is 5 to 10 g per day, often in combination with the amino acid arginine, reports the University of Michigan Health System. If you're taking ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate, or "OKG," a supplement made from ornithine combined with glutamine, you can take 5 to 25 g per day, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Your doctor can help establish a safe dosage of ornithine or OKG.
Function
Ornithine helps stimulate your body's muscle-building activities. Your body enters a temporary "catabolic" state after a serious physical trauma, causing a breakdown of muscle and tissues. This state is in part caused by increased release of the hormone cortisone in your body. Often, you'll become deficient in ornithine during times of severe trauma. Ornithine promotes an "anabolic" state, which encourages muscle and tissue creation, and may affect the enzymes related to certain hormone production such as cortisone.
Warnings
If you take more than 10 g daily of ornithine, you may experience gastrointestinal problems, warns the University of Michigan Health System. These stomach irritations can include cramps and diarrhea. Additionally, no safe dosage is established for young children or for people who have liver and kidney diseases, cautions the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
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